Black History Month Spotlight: Hannah Nokes’ Story Reveals Early Transgender Visibility in 1930s Virginia

A little-known figure from Northern Virginia history is being remembered this Black History Month for her visibility and resilience decades before transgender identity was widely recognized.

Hannah Nokes, born in 1898, lived openly as a woman in Loudoun County, Virginia, well before the 1930s. She worked as a domestic laborer, took in laundry, and operated a boarding home, building a life within her community.

Her name entered the national spotlight during the 1933 double murder trial of George Crawford. The case drew widespread attention because Crawford was represented by an all-Black legal defense team led by famed civil rights attorney Charles Houston, who challenged racial bias in all-white juries.

Nokes was called as a prosecution witness because Crawford had stayed at her boarding house. However, much of the press coverage focused less on her testimony and more on her gender identity, often portraying her in derogatory and sensationalized ways.

Despite that coverage, historian Amy Bertsch says Nokes’ own community appeared to recognize and accept her identity. During courtroom questioning, her nephew clearly referred to her as his aunt, reinforcing how she was known by those closest to her.

Nokes later appeared in a Rural Electrification Administration publication after her home was connected to electricity, which helped expand her laundry business. In the feature, she was presented simply as a woman, with no questions raised about her identity.

Her story is now included in the book Queer Virginia, offering a deeper look at LGBTQ history in the region.

When Nokes died, her family ensured she was buried in a blue dress — a final affirmation of how she lived her life.

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